Wiede's Carbide Works Freyung

Old factory near a rock breakthrough

The plant is located in the Buchberger Leite, a wildbach gorge on the Wolfsteiner Ohe, in the area of the municipality of Hohenau in Lower Bavaria. The next two places are Buchberg and Aigenstadl. Three hydropower plants are supplied with water from the Reschbach and Saußbach via an elaborate pipe and tunnel system, the construction of which began in 1899, and two reservoirs. The electricity generated was used in the carbide plant for energy-intensive processes in electric arc furnaces. Some of the crystals produced were discovered in the search for active media for lasers and sold to the jewelry industry. The carbide was previously required for the operation of gas lamps and acetylene generators for generating welding gas.

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbidwerk_Freyung The hydroelectric power plants in particular are evidence of engineering skills from over 100 years ago